Grocery bagging and transfer apparatus

ABSTRACT

A grocery bagging and transfer apparatus comprises a bag load station and a transfer device. The bag load station includes a primary bag dispenser, and is provided either separate from the transfer device or is provided at a leading end of the transfer device. When provided separate, means are provided for advancing grocery-filled bag on to the leading end of the transfer device. The transfer device provides a drive and transfer system that advances loaded bags from its leading end to a loading end from which bagged groceries are typically placed in a cart.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/547,745 filed on Feb. 25, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to grocery bagging and handlingand more specifically relates to a grocery bagging and transferapparatus. The invention reduces the man hours and the intensity oflabor necessary to perform the final stages of check-out. The finalquality of the groceries is improved by reducing the number of times aswell as the manner in which each item is handled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Present grocery handling and bagging apparatus have been in use foryears. Typically an in-feed conveyor belt, which contains items to bepurchased by the shopper, feeds the items to a price scanner and scale,where the cashier tabulates their cost. After scanning or otherwisepricing an item, the cashier transfers the item to a slopped declinethat helps move the items to a gathering station in order to be bagged.Cashiers must be careful not to damage items as they slide them down thedecline toward a bagging and cart loading station. Often they are not,and items can be damaged as they are transferred to the bagging and cartloading station. After fresh produce has been weighed by the cashier,the shopper often watches as that carefully selected produce is shoveddown the sloped decline and becomes damaged by crashing into the stopwall or other goods below.

The bagger (sometimes the shopper) loads the items into bags and placesthem in the shopper's cart. In most cases, the bags are at a lowerelevation than the top of the grocery cart and the bagger or customer isrequired to lift the loaded bags before placing them into the cart.

In some check-out lines, a cavity for a portable plastic bag holderfollows the scanner and consists of a base, rear support structure andhorizontal members for supporting an open bag for loading. Thesecavities generally accommodate only common plastic grocery bags, and notlarger paper bags. The cavity containing the plastic bag holder is oftencovered by a hinged panel that may be selectively pivoted to either spanthe cavity, preventing access to the bags, or open up the cavity, thusallowing the person scanning items place them into the bags. Whenpivoted to span the cavity, the panel serves as a horizontal slide, andthis is generally done when business becomes too busy and the cashiercan not afford to utilize those plastic bags. The bags filled in thecavities also must be lifted in order to be placed on a sloped declineto be transported away. Indeed, when using the loading cavity, theloaded bags are lifted twice, first out of the loading cavity and ontothe sloped decline, and then off of the decline and into the cart.

The main problem with today's conventional grocery handling and baggingapparatus is that the grocery items have to be handled multiple timesafter the shopper initially places them on the typical in-feed conveyor.This increases the check-out time and/or the number of employeesrequired to check-out the groceries. It also increases the chance thatgoods will be damaged. In either case, the store investors and customerspay the consequences. The store is required to increase the prices ofthe items sold in order to compensate for the additional incurred costs.

The grocery bagging and transfer apparatus according to this inventionsubstantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of theprior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed forthe purpose of reducing the man hours and the intensity of labornecessary to perform the final stages of check-out. This invention alsohelps maintain the quality of fresh produce and other goods by helpingto reduce the number of times and the manner in which it is handled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a grocery baggingand transfer apparatus that reduces the man hours and intensity of labornecessary to perform the final stages of check-out.

It is another object to limit the damage to fragile goods, includingfresh produce and other readily damaged goods, by reducing the number oftimes that each item is handled along and controling the environment towhich they are subjected.

It is yet another object to provide a grocery bagging and transferapparatus that eliminates the need for an employee or shopper to have tolift loaded bags to a higher elevation to place them in a shopping cart.

It is a further object to provide a grocery bagging and transferapparatus that will transport both plastic and paper loaded bags ofgroceries from a bag load height and position to a cart load height andposition, thus requiring a minimal vertical lift of any loaded bags onthe part of an employee or customer while in the store.

It is an additional object to provide a grocery bagging and transferapparatus that dispenses bags, both plastic and paper, in a convenientmanner and location relative to the location where they are bagged, inorder to assist the cashier to efficiently position them for or duringthe item loading process.

It is still another object to provide a grocery bagging and transferapparatus that supplies an efficient bag loading elevation and positionrelative to the in-feed counter/conveyor height and location.

Another object is to provide a grocery bagging and transfer apparatusthat will transfer loaded bags of groceries either continuously, usingauto detection apparatus, or manually, using manually activatedcomponents.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeobvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects andadvantages are within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention provides a grocery bagging and transfer apparatusfor use adjacent to an in-feed counter having a grocery item in-feedsurface, said apparatus comprising: a primary bag dispenser retaining aplurality of primary bags; and a bag load station for bagging groceryitems, said bag load station being positioned adjacent said in-feedcounter and providing a bag support surface that accepts one of saidplurality of primary bags, opened to receive grocery items, at aposition dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface of thein-feed counter.

In accordance with another embodiment, this invention provides a grocerybagging and transfer apparatus for bagging grocery items and advancingthem to a grocery cart for loading into said cart, the apparatuscomprising: a bag load station retaining an open bag for receivinggrocery items to provide a filled bag; and automated means for advancingsuch a filled bag out of said bag load station to clear the same for anew, unfilled open bag.

In yet another embodiment is provided a grocery bagging and transferapparatus comprising: a t-shirt style bag dispenser retaining aplurality of t-shirt style bags on opposed support bars, and a baggedgrocery transfer device providing a bag load station for bagging groceryitems, said bag loading station being positioned adjacent said t-shirtstyle bag dispenser such that said support bars of said t-shirt stylebag dispenser extend over a bag support surface of said bag load stationto retain at least one of said plurality of t-shirt style bags open onsaid support surface, said bagged grocery transfer device beingselectively operable to advance bagged grocery items at said bag loadstation toward a loading station, wherein advancing said conveyor beltclears said bag load station of bagged groceries, pulling any filledt-shirt style bags off of said support bars.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofmay be better understood, and in order that the present contribution tothe art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of theinvention that will be described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To accomplish one or more of the above and related objects, thisinvention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, attention being called to the fact that the drawings areillustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specificconstruction illustrated. Various other objects, features and attendantadvantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as thesame becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a grocery bagging and transferapparatus in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is top view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation view of a bag load station portionof the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of another embodiment of a grocerybagging and transfer apparatus in accordance with this invention,employing an elevator system at the bag load station, shown in the upposition for transferring bagged groceries to the transfer device;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 4, shown withthe elevator system in the down position for bagging grocery items;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front elevation view of a bag load stationemploying baskets for receiving and transferring bagged grocery items;and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front elevation view of an alternative embodimentof the basket concept of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a grocery bagging and transfer apparatus inaccordance with this invention is shown and designated by the numeral10. Apparatus 10 is preferably employed adjacent a common groceryin-feed counter C, which is shown as a conveyor belt surface advancingitems in the direction of arrow A. As alternatives, in-feed counter Cmay be a regular, non-moving counter or even a shopping cart, as it isbecoming more popular for shopping centers to price items directly outof a shopping cart. In particularly preferred embodiments apparatus 10is employed with in-feed counters that include bar code scanners and/orscales S, which are well known. Apparatus 10 includes a bag load station12 and bagged grocery transfer device 14. Although individual names havebeen given to these elements, as indicated in the Figures, bag loadstation 12 and transfer device 14 are not necessarily separate anddistinct elements. Rather, bag load station 12 may either be part of orseparate from transfer device 14, as desired. For purposes herein, the“bag load station” is to be considered the area utilized for firstaccepting, supporting and containing an empty bag that a person,typically a cashier, manually places, pulls, or pushes into position inorder to be loaded with items. In the present invention, this positionwill accept either paper or plastic grocery bags. In the preferredembodiment illustrated, bag load station 12 forms part of transferdevice 14, particularly a part of leading end 16, and is disclosedherein as being so configured into apparatus 10. But bag load station 12may be separate and distinct from transfer device, for example, byforming a separate support stand adjacent leading end 16 of transferdevice 14. The advantages is space and operational efficiency that arerealized by configuring bag load station 12 at leading end 16 oftransfer device 14 should be readily apparent.

Transfer device 14 supplies the main support structure and drive andtransfer system for bagged groceries. In the preferred embodiment, it isa common conveyor belt having a continuous belt 18 that advances aroundmotor-driven drum 20, at leading end 16, and idler drum 22, at loadingend 24. Other supportive drums may be employed. It is not material whatdrums are motor-driven and what drums are idling. Belt 18 is selectivelyadvanced around these drums 20, 22 to advance bagged groceries placed onconveying surface 25. Other means for transferring bagged groceries fromleading end 16 to loading end 24 may be employed.

Apparatus 10 is adaptable to the use of various types of bags. Typicalplastic and paper bags are suitable for use with this invention. In thepreferred embodiment, both paper and plastic bag dispensers form a partof apparatus 10, but this invention is not limited thereto or thereby.Indeed, rather than focusing on plastic and paper bags, reference ismade herein to “primary” and “auxiliary” bags. Although, in preferredembodiments, the “primary” bags are plastic, and the “auxiliary” arepaper, the invention is to cover the use of either plastic or paper bagsalone or in reverse positions (i.e., with plastic bags as the“auxiliary” and paper bags as the “primary”). These bags aredistinguished in the Figs. by B and B′.

Thus, bag load station 12 includes primary bag dispenser 26. In theembodiment illustrated, primary bag dispenser 26 holds plastic bags 27,t-shirt style. This is best seen with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.Primary bag dispenser 26 includes housing 28, which serves to retain thehanging ends 30 of the plastic bags. More particularly, hanging ends 30rest below conveying surface 25, and housing 28 serves to hold ends 30away from belt 18 and drum 20. Opposed bag support bars 32 extend fromthe upper portion of housing 28 and serve to guide and help keep theT-shirt style plastic bags open while being loaded with items. T-shirtstyle bags and such support bars are well known, although the presentinvention teaches an advantageous size and position for the supportbars. Preferably, support bars 32 extend over bag load station 12 farenough to allow for two plastic bags to be opened while still beingupheld by support bars 32 and while having their bottoms resting on thesurface of bag load station 12, keeping in mind that bag load station 12may or may not form a part of transfer device 14, as mentioned above.When bag load station 12 does form a part of transfer device 14, i.e.,when it is placed at leading end 16 thereof, as shown, the advancementof belt 18 toward loading end 24 will pull loaded bags fully off ofsupport bars 32, emptying bag load station 12 of filled bags, so thatnew empty bags may be opened and positioned for filling at bag loadstation 12. Alternatively, support bars 32 may be sized to permit theloading of one bag. And it is enough that bags be held on support bars32, making housing 28 optional.

The top of primary bag dispenser 26, and therefore the opening of aplastic bag, is kept low enough to allow the cashier to scan the itemsand load them into the bags in a smooth and flowing motion. In preferredembodiments, the elevation of support bars 32 and conveying surface 25of transfer device 14, are determined by taking into account the heightof in-feed counter C and the size of the bags being used. Conveyingsurface 25, at leading end 16, should be dropped down from the topsurface of counter C. In one embodiment, conveying surface 25, atleading end 16, is dropped down a distance that is approximately equalto half the height of a bag opened on support bars 32, from the bag'sclosed bottom to its open top. It will be appreciated that the height ofthe bag, when opened to receive grocery items, is slightly less than itsheight when flattened and closed. In more preferred embodiments,conveying surface 25, at leading end 16, is dropped down a distance thatis approximately equal to two thirds of the height of the bag, and in amost preferred embodiment, is dropped down at a distance that isapproximately equal to the height of the bag. In particularly preferredembodiments, conveying surface 25 is dropped down at least the height ofthe bag when opened to received grocery items. This way, the top of abag to be filled will be at or below the top surface of in-feed counterC, where a shopper places items for pricing, scanning and/or weighing bythe cashier. A cashier may simply grab an item from the top surface ofin-feed counter C, scan, weigh (if necessary) and price it, and thenlower it, in a smooth motion, into a bag held between support bars 32.This is particularly true for items that are scanned by drawing themacross a typical in-feed counter scanner, as the item may be drawnacross the scanner and directly lowered into the bag. Support bars 32are positioned so that, when a primary bag is opened on support bars 32,the bag's bottom surface rests on conveying surface 25 and is supportedfor receiving grocery items. Realizing that not all bags used at a storewill be of the same size, the height chosen should be the height of themost popular bag. Generally, the most popular bags are plastic, t-shirtstyle bags.

In preferred embodiments, an auxiliary bag dispenser, designated by thenumeral 34 in the figures, is a paper bag dispenser. It is mounted ontop of transfer device 14 on front legs 36 and rear legs 38. Legs 36, 38bridge the width of transfer device 14 and hold auxiliary bag dispenser34 above filled bags B, with ample clearance, as the filled bags B aretransferred to the cart load position at loading end 24. Auxiliary bagdispenser 34 is made up of a sheet metal or plastic housing 40 withopening 42 located anywhere that it is convenient for a person to accessone or more bag. Dispenser 34 should accept a stack of folded bags.Dispenser 34 may be located downline of bag load station 12, bridgingtransfer device 14, as shown, but may also be located elsewhere, mostpreferably within reach of the cashier. The elevation and angle ofopening 42 will be such that it allows for the transfer of the baggedgroceries beneath without causing an obstruction, while at the same timeenabling a person to easily retrieve a bag.

Transfer device 14 includes conveyor belt 18, having an appropriatedrive system (well known, not shown) capable of transferring filledbags, plastic or paper, from bag load station 12 to the cart loadposition at loading end 24. Conveyor belt 18 may include studs, cleats,or other shaped extensions 50 to support the trailing side of the filledbags as they are advanced up the incline. Shaped extensions 50 will helpensure that nothing rolls or slides backward. Both sides of conveyorbelt 18 are bounded by opposed side guides 52. Side guides 52 runparallel with the direction of bag travel and support filled bagsagainst falling off of conveyor belt 18 during transfer to the cart loadposition. Transfer device 14 could also be a conveyor comprised ofbaskets or concave depressions in a conveying surface in which bags areplace while being loaded with groceries. This will be disclosed morefully below in the disclosure of FIGS. 6 and 7.

The height at the cart load end, where loading end 24 terminates, ispreferably dictated by the height of the shopping carts being used(FIGS. 1, 4 and 5). The high point of loading end 24 should at leastmatch the elevation of the highest point of the shopping cart's basket.The height of conveying surface 25 at loading end 24, should be at anelevation determined as a “minimal effort transfer height” which willenable a minimal (preferably zero) vertical lift of a bag of grocerieswhen transferring the bags into the shopping cart. This is preferredonly, and it should be appreciated that the transfer device need notrise from the elevation of the bag load station.

Transfer device 14 may consist of one or more conveyors in a line. Theycould be organized starting with an incline conveyor and then emptyingout onto a flat conveyor. Or the bags could be placed and loaded on alevel conveyor at the bag load station and then move on to an inclineconveyor as they head toward the loading end. A base support structurefor transfer device 14 is not specifically shown in the drawings becauseany well known support structure could be employed. The supportstructure is to contain the drive system mechanics and associatedactuators to effect the advancement of transfer device. These actuatorsare generally shown in the Figures as incremental advance actuator 56and continuous advance actuator 58, discussed more fully below. Otherdrive system mechanics and actuators may be employed.

A method for bagging items and transferring them to a shopping cartthrough use of the apparatus of this invention is next disclosed, andthe advantages of the method and apparatus will be readily apparent. Ifusing paper bags, the cashier removes a paper bag from auxiliary bagdispenser 34 located over transfer device 14, opening it while placingit longways between support bars 32 at bag load station 12. If usingplastic t-shirt style bags, the cashier may, with one hand, simply dragone or two bags forward to open them on support bars 32 and place thebase of the bag(s) on leading end 16 of transfer device 14, and load thebags(s) in this position. Once the grocery bags are filled at bag loadstation 12, they must be advanced toward the cart load position atloading end 24 in order to make room at bag load station 12 for fillingan additional bag or bags. This is repeated until all items have beenbagged, unless grocery transfer device 14 is completely filled withfilled grocery bags, in which case, at least the bag(s) at loading end24 must be removed from transfer device 14 to make room for furtheradvancement. A storage platform 54 may optionally be provided runningparallel to transfer device 14 for receipt of bagged groceries, and maybe particularly useful when the amount of items purchased are more thanenough to fill transfer device 14 or when an item purchased is too largefor bagging and loading at bag load station 12. Storage platform 54could also be a conveyor belt type transfer device.

In the preferred embodiments, advancing the bags may be accomplishedthrough incremental advancement, or continuous advancement. Inincremental advancement, operating an incremental advance actuator 56,which can be done by stepping on a pedal, pressing a button, or pullinga switch/lever, etc., activates the motor to drive motor-driven drum 20,causing transfer device 14 to index forward, up the incline, toward thecart load position. The distance that transfer device advances may bedetermined either by length of time that actuator 56 is pressed, withthe advancement lasting only so long as the actuator is pressed, or itmay be configured to be an incremental distance of one job length,which, in one embodiment, is comprised of one paper bag (placedlongways) or two plastic bags, t-shirt style, i.e., the length of bagloading station 12. This incremental advancement will most often be usedto remove filled bags from bag load station 12. In continuousadvancement, operating a continuous advance actuator 58, which can bedone by stepping on a pedal, pressing a button or pulling aswitch/lever, etc., causes transfer device 14 to continuously advanceuntil an object (e.g., filled grocery bag) is detected by sensor 60, atwhich time the continuous advancement goes on hold. Removing the filledbag that has tripped sensor 60 restarts the continuous advancement untilthe next bag trips sensor 60. Continuous advancement would thustypically be chosen once all of a customer's items have been bagged andit is time to load the cart. The cashier or the customer then walks overto loading end 24, places the shopping cart at the end of transferdevice 14, and begins sliding the bags of groceries off loading end 24and lowering them into a shopping cart. After loading the shopping cart,the cashier then returns to the position of bag load station 12, readyto perform the next function, for example, taking payment for thegroceries.

It has been mentioned that bag load station 12 need not form part ofbagged grocery transfer device 14. Configuring bag load station 12 as aseparate support stand prior to leading end 16 may require a person orautomation of some kind to advance loaded bags from such a separate loadstation to transfer device 14. As seen in the alternative embodiment 110of FIGS. 4 and 5, an alternative bag load station 112 could be part ofan elevator apparatus 170 that allows groceries to be loaded at a lowerand more functional height (FIG. 5) and then be lifted in the directionof arrow D to a cart load height (FIG. 4). From alternative bag loadstation 112, bagged groceries are preferably advanced onto baggedgrocery transfer device 114 by a slide cleat 172 that is selectivelyslid from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 4, to pushloaded grocery bags B (or B′) onto transfer device 114. An optional gate174 may be employed at leading end 116 of transfer device 114 to keepany filled bags from falling off leading end 116. Elevator 170 ispreferably controlled by electronic means, wherein a cashier would stepon a pedal, push a button, or pull a lever, etc. to selectively moveelevator 170 up and down. Gate 174, if optionally used, may becontrolled by the same mechanisms. Slide cleat 172 could be configuredto be advanced manually or to be advanced automatically by the samemechanisms. These mechanisms are generally represented at actuators 176.

As an alternative to extensions 50 and/or side guides 52, transferdevice 14 may include hinged baskets 150 or 150′, as seen if FIGS. 6 and7. These baskets differ only in a specific aspect disclosed below, andthus common elements to these baskets receive like numerals in the Figs.Hinged baskets 150 and 150′, as the name implies, are connected toconveying surface 25 at hinge 152 running along the leading bottom edgeof baskets 150/150′. This allows them to be carried around drums 20, 22.Baskets 150 and 150′ would preferably provide a rear wall 154 andopposed side walls 156 (only one wall is seen in Figs.) to support afilled bag. In such an embodiment the bag load station is the bottomsurface of the hinged basket positioned under support bars 32 toreceived an empty bag to be filled. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, baskets150 include bottom surface 158, to receive and support bags, as shown.In the embodiment of FIG. 7, baskets 150′ have no bottom wall, and riseup over drum 20 to align with a load plate 160, where bags are loaded.After being loaded at load plate 160, advancing transfer device 14slides the bags off of load plate 160 and onto conveying surface 25. Thebottom 158 of baskets 150 and the load plate 160 employed with baskets150′ are bag support surfaces.

In light of the forgoing, it should be apparent that the presentinvention provides improvements in grocery bagging and transferapparatus, and accomplishes one or more of the objects herein. Theforegoing disclosure is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Because numerous modifications and changeswill readily occur to those skilled in the art, this invention is notlimited to the exact construction and operation shown and described.Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the invention, which is to be defined bythe following claims.

1. A grocery bagging and transfer apparatus for use adjacent to anin-feed counter having a grocery item in-feed surface, said apparatuscomprising: a primary bag dispenser retaining a plurality of primarybags; and a bag load station for bagging grocery items, said bag loadstation being positioned adjacent said in-feed counter and providing abag support surface that accepts one of said plurality of primary bags,opened to receive grocery items, at a position dropped downwardly fromthe grocery item in-feed surface of the in-feed counter.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said primary bags has a heightdefined between a closed bottom and an open top thereof when opened toreceive grocery items, and said bag support surface of said bag loadstation is dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface at adistance at least equal to half of said height of said primary bags. 3.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said bag support surface of said bagload station is dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surfaceat a distance at least equal to said height of said primary bags.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a bagged grocery transferdevice having a leading end and a loading end and serving to transferbagged groceries from said leading end to said loading end.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4, wherein said bag load station is located at saidleading end of said bagged grocery transfer device.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein said primary bag dispenser is a t-shirt style bagdispenser that extends over said bag load station to retain at least onet-shirt style bag open on said bag load station for receiving groceryitems.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is employed toload a grocery cart having a height defined by the open top of thegrocery cart basket, and said bagged grocery transfer device is inclinedfrom said leading end to said loading end, said loading end being at aheight that is at least as high as the height of the open top of thegrocery cart basket.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said baggedgrocery transfer device includes a conveyor belt having a conveyingsurface, said conveyor belt being selectively operable to advance baggedgroceries from said leading end to said loading end.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein, when a t-shirt style bag is filled with grocery itemsat said bag load station, selectively operating said conveyor belt toadvance bagged groceries from said leading end to said loading end pullssuch a filled t-shirt style bag off of said t-shirt bag dispenser. 10.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein selectively operating said conveyorbelt includes advancing said conveyor belt in job length incrementsdefined by the length of said bag load station, such that advancing saidconveyor belt at said job length increment clears said bag load stationof bagged groceries.
 11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said bag loadstation includes an elevator positioned downwardly from and between saidin-feed counter and said leading end of said transfer device, saidelevator providing said bag support surface at a position droppeddownwardly from the grocery item in-feed surface of the in-feed counter,said elevator being selectively operable to raise said bag supportsurface to align with said leading end of said transfer device.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein said bag load station further comprises aslide cleat movable to urge bagged groceries off of said bag supportsurface an onto said leading end of said transfer device when said bagsupport surface is aligned with said leading end.
 13. A grocery baggingand transfer apparatus for bagging grocery items and advancing them to agrocery cart for loading into said cart, the apparatus comprising: a bagload station retaining an open bag for receiving grocery items toprovide a filled bag; and automated means for advancing such a filledbag out of said bag load station to clear the same for a new, unfilledopen bag.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said bag load stationis provided at a leading end of a conveyor belt, and said automatedmeans for advancing includes an incremental advance actuator that isoperated to advance filled bags at said leading end of said conveyorbelt an incremental distance toward a loading end of said conveyor belt.15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said bag load station is providedat a leading end of a conveyor belt, said automated means for advancingincludes a continuous advance actuator that is operated to advancefilled bags at said leading end of said conveyor belt toward a loadingend of said conveyor belt, a sensor is provided at said loading end andsenses the presence of filled bags at said loading end, said sensorstopping the advancement of filled bags when the presence of a filledbag is sensed.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising anin-feed counter having a grocery item in-feed surface, wherein said bagload station provides a bag support surface that accepts said open bag,at a position dropped downwardly from the grocery item in-feed surfaceof the in-feed counter.
 17. A grocery bagging and transfer apparatuscomprising: a t-shirt style bag dispenser retaining a plurality oft-shirt style bags on opposed support bars, and a bagged grocerytransfer device providing a bag load station for bagging grocery items,said bag loading station being positioned adjacent said t-shirt stylebag dispenser such that said support bars of said t-shirt style bagdispenser extend over a bag support surface of said bag load station toretain at least one of said plurality of t-shirt style bags open on saidsupport surface, said bagged grocery transfer device being selectivelyoperable to advance bagged grocery items at said bag load station towarda loading station, wherein advancing said conveyor belt clears said bagload station of bagged groceries, pulling any filled t-shirt style bagsoff of said support bars.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, furthercomprising an in-feed counter having a grocery item in-feed surface,wherein said bag support surface is dropped downwardly from said groceryitem in-feed surface of the in-feed counter.